Lost Child
by x se
Summary: They know that their child is safe in another world. But that doesn’t stop them from missing her. One Shot


Lost Child  
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

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Sado "Chad" Yasutora stared at the doorway to his small house. His wife would probably have just started dinner, as Friday was the only night of the week she cooked. Mechanically, making it for three and inevitably breaking out in tears when she realized the table would only be holding two that night.

He wanted so much to open that door, to walk in and say he was taking her out for dinner, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Because she was cooking the special western food that their daughter had loved so much. It was honoring her, to eat it every week, on her favorite day of the week.

It hadn't been too long ago. Not even three months. His wife's brother had been the one to send the child's spirit to the Soul Society. Yasutora hadn't been able to say goodbye to her, neither had his wife. Not when a Hollow attacked her because of her high spiritual energy, and not when she was sent to the Soul Society to save her from being eaten by the very thing that killed her.

Ichigo hadn't been able to face Karin since then. Nor Yasutora. He felt like he had failed. His wife, Rukia, had only talked to the two once since it happened, and that was at the funeral. She had informed them she was looking for their daughter in the Soul Society, but honestly added that it wasn't likely she would be found. Yasutora was planning on going on his yearly visit to Yuuichi soon, and he'd stay a bit longer to look for his daughter if he wouldn't have had to leave Karin alone to do so.

Yasutora stared at the door and lowered his head. His shoulders shook as he choked down a sob. He had to be strong. Karin was strong. She managed to keep it together every other day, whereas Yasutora would think about depressing things. What if he lost Karin too? Was if Karin lost him? What if their daughter had been eaten by a Hollow? What if… What if… So many terrible what ifs, that Yasutora could not bid away.

Yasutora opened the door and looked to the kitchen. Karin wasn't cooking. And there wasn't any food on the table. He walked into the house, hanging up his coat on the coat rack and locking the door first. Yasutora wasn't able to decide whether this was a good sign or a bad one. He walked to the staircase after finding Karin was not in the lower level of their house.

Passing a trophy case, filled with Karin's soccer trophies, Yasutora looked at the top, where a smaller trophy was. He walked past it and up the stairs, not even looking at the picture of a little girl with dark skin and curly black hair, riding on the shoulders of himself, a happy woman giving him and the girl a hug together.

He began to grow worried when he heard a muffled, yet very familiar sound, as he walked towards his daughter's old room. It hadn't been opened once since her death, and he realized the door was open. He recognized the sound now. Sobbing. Yasutora quickened his pace and entered the room, and saw Karin, collapsed on their daughter's bed, hugging a stuffed animal and sobbing.

He walked over to her and, sensing his presence, she embraced him and cried into his chest. Chad began rubbing Karin's back as tears began to leak out of his own eyes.

"Sssh… Karin…" Yasutora pulled his wife closer and kissed her head, and her sobs slowly began to come to a stop. She pulled away and looked into his eyes.

"Yasutora… She's not… She's not… She…" The tears started coming again, but Yasutora saw her trying to hold them in.

"Karin… You're one of the strongest people I know… But let it out now… I'll be strong for you, alright?." Yasutora kissed her forehead as she didn't reply. Instead, she collapsed into his arms and began sobbing, so much harder than when Yasutora had found her.

--

Two small figures were walking through a crowded street in tattered robes. Each was carrying a basket, filled with food. One was a boy, the other, a girl.

"I miss my parents…" said the girl, dark skinned with curly black hair. The boy turned to smiled sadly at her, and realizing she had said that out loud, she blushed and turned away. "S-Sorry, Yuuichi-kun…"

"It's okay…" replied the boy, his smile growing warmer and less sad. "Hey! I know what will be fun!"

The girl turned to the boy and looked at him questioningly.

"What, Yuuichi-kun?" asked the girl curiously. The boy smiled.

"A nice man who helped me pass on, who carries me around every year, is coming to visit in a few weeks. He's really nice and I bet he'll carry you on his shoulders too!" exclaimed Yuuichi happily as he saw a ghost of a smile appear on the girl's face.

"My daddy used to carry me on his shoulders…" The girl's smile was sad, but it was a smile, which in the boy's book, was much better than a frown. Yuuichi smiled and the two stopped in front of a house.

"Onii-san, we're home!" exclaimed Yuuichi happily.

The two spirits walked into the house with the food. They ate, and that night, Shibata Yuuichi and Sado Haya dreamt of riding on the shoulders of the same person.

End


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